The township applied for a $7,500 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection grant to pay for a study into whether it also should offer paper, plastic and light metal recycling at the township yard waste recycling center.

Commissioners President Martin Zawarski wants the study also to look at whether the township should consider contracting a single garbage collector instead of continuing to allow residents to pick their own.

But Commissioner Michael Hudak, a longtime opponent of a single hauler, said he only supported the study to look at the expansion of recycling services. He said he'd be willing to study the possible benefits of a single hauler but he doesn't think he'd ever be convinced.

"I know the public — at least my constituents — they filled the room the last three times we even tried to talk about it," Hudak said. "Competition is good and we have a lot of mom-and-pop businesses in this township that rely on this."

"If it shows it's to our financial interest to go to a single hauler, it's something we'll have to consider," he said.

New township Manager Melissa Shafer oversaw similar recycling and garbage studies in two municipalities she previously worked for, Zawarski said. One of the towns ended up going with a single hauler while the other didn't, Zawarski said.

Both Zawarski and Hudak said they'd like to open a township recycling center similar to those in Bethlehem and Palmer Township. Bethlehem Township's current recycling center on Falmer Drive accepts only yard waste.

Recycling centers can earn municipalities money through the sale of recyclable items while they also offer more services to residents, Zawarski said. Some residents get recycling pickup through their garbage collectors, Zawarski said.

The township plans to conduct the recycling and garbage study and then poll residents on their preferences, Zawarski said. The polls will be conducted both online and through the mail, he said.